27th-Jul-2013

Tropics was an expensive yearling purchase by Godolphin, but he never made it to the track for them. He only made his debut towards the end of last season as a four-year-old, but he has improved with virtually every run since then and he is just a really progressive horse for Dean Ivory now since being dropped back to sprinting this season.

His last three runs have all been at Windsor. He demolished his field in the first of them, wearing a hood for the first time, before being a little unlucky next time under a penalty when drawn wide in stall 12. He was a little keener than ideal early on from that draw and was checked a little, but he still came through on the unfavoured outside to hit the front, only to be just mugged by Khubala, who got the splits against the rail.

He made amends last time off a 4lb higher mark than his previous run (when he had raced under a penalty before the handicapper had had a chance to re-assess him). He was again drawn wide, he again travelled well, he again quickened up impressively, but this time he stayed on well to get the better of Rex Imperator, who had been sixth in the Wokingham on his previous run.

He is another 6lb higher today, but the way in which he travels through his races suggests that he could still be better than that, he travels like a classy individual, and a big field and a strong pace should suit him well. Dean Ivory is really good with his sprinters, especially when they get on a roll, as we saw with Sirius Prospect a couple of seasons ago, and 7/1 or 15/2 about Tropics is more than fair.

TROPICS WON (ADV 7/1, SP 9/2)